Social media users were quick to post sarcastic tweets about how great their view of the celestial event was, with many bemoaning the fact that skies had been clear for weeks only to cloud up on Friday.

For those lucky enough, and unlike a solar eclipse, the lunar event could be viewed without wearing protective eye gear.

Some Britons had better luck however, with the Grenadier Guards stationed in Iraq posting images showing troops gazing at a red-sheened moon hanging in a clear sky.